Page 47 of Always Mine

“It’s your birthstone.” She quirks an eyebrow at me. “Hey, I know things.”

“Okay, Tyrion Lannister.”

I look at her beautiful smile, then lean down and give her a hard kiss, tugging her bottom lip between my teeth as I pull away. “Why didn’t you ever wear it?”

“Because it’s an engagement or wedding ring. I thought about wearing it, but then I started imagining being proposed to with it by the right guy, the one for me, the dream. It started to feel special, like a piece of my future, and I couldn’t bring myself to wear it.”

I give her a blazing smile. “The dream guy? Or me?”

I watch as her lips pull into a radiant smile. She whispers, “Same person.”

I flip the box closed again and set it on the bedside table, then grab the back of her neck and press my lips to hers.

“I can’t wait to give you that ring.” My hand drops to her stomach and excitement takes hold again as I imagine feeling our baby kick for the first time.

Her hand moves over top of mine, and she nestles against me. “These next eight months are gonna be crazy. I’m going to toss and turn, be uncomfortable, be sad, be horny, not want you to touch me, get mad over dumb stuff, cry over how happy I am, and probably melt into a puddle whenever you do something sweet.”

“I can’t wait for all of that, either. I love you.” I reach over her and turn the light off, wrapping my arms around her as I lie back down.

“I love you too.” She rests her head on my shoulder and finally, we both drift off to sleep.

Chapter 12

Zoey

Iamineditinghell.

It wouldn’t be as much hell if it weren’t for the headaches and nausea and fatigue. But I refuse to call it pregnancy hell because I’m still so excited. It’s been a week and I’m currently bursting at the seams, waiting to tell someone. Waiting to tell Trish. Luke and I agreed that even though we aren’t ready for anyone else to know, we’re going to tell Mikey and Trish at dinner tonight. Our first together as a couple—well, the first one where it’s a planned dinner as a couple, not them trying to get us together.

My edits are due to my editor by Friday, but I’m convinced I can get it all done today, which will give me all of tomorrow to completely relax. Friday I’ll be stressing about Luke moving in. Not that him moving here is stressful, and he’s been living here full time since we found out about my pregnancy, but it’s the act of moving his stuff this weekend that I’m stressed about. Even though Luke has made it clear, I’m not supposed to stress. I’m supposed to take it easy, eat whatever I want, get some exercise, drink plenty of fluids, and take lots of naps.

He’s bossy, but I love it because it’s in such a caring way. I’ve never had anyone do that for me before. Boss me into taking care of myself. It’s nice, because I’m pretty bad at remembering to do it.

I’m forty pages from the end and I can taste it. I can also taste the bile in the back of my throat. I take another sip of seltzer as my phone rings. When I see that it’s Tad, I instantly want to deny the call, but that’s the thing with co-parenting, you can’t.

“Hello?” I answer, trying to contain the fatigue in my voice. I try to hide it around the boys, too, but when it’s just Luke and me, I let the brain fog take over and become a useless lump. I always used to put on a face for Tad, never wanting him to think I didn’t feel well. He’s always used that against me and called me weak for needing to rest.

“We need to talk.” His voice is terse and I wonder if he knows about Luke moving in. I didn’t specifically tell him, mostly because he already knew Luke was staying here regularly. He didn’t tell me when Naomi moved in—two weeks after he moved into his new apartment and we put the house up for sale—so I didn’t feel a need to tell him.

“What about?” I ask, swallowing hard against some heartburn. It starts earlier with every pregnancy.

“I’m moving.”

“Okay… did you guys buy a new house, or…?”

“No, Zoey. We’re moving out of state.”

Fucking what?

“What? When? How? What the hell, Tad?”

He sighs. “I knew you’d be dramatic about this.”

“I’m not beingdramatic. I’m asking questions to understand, because this seems like a blindside.”

“I’ve got a new job in Delaware, near where Naomi and I first met.”While you were on vacation with me, asshole.Oh, hell, not like I can say much, pining after Luke for as long as I did.

“And Naomi?”

---